Sanaa, Sept. 11 -- Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militants seized several strategic islands in the Red Sea on Friday after capturing territory along the coast, tightening their control over the vital Bab-al-Mandab shipping corridor linking Europe and Asia.
The move could further disrupt international trade and shipping after Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran welcomed the advance by its Yemeni allies on Friday.
After a week-long offensive that has killed hundreds of people, the Houthis appeared to control territory along the Yemeni side of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
A local official from Yemen's Saudi-backed government said the Houthis had "completed their takeover of the B...